Summary At twilight and in clear weather, the PATERSON, loaded with corn, was downbound on Lac Saint-Franois. The vessel was under the conduct of a ship's officer who was qualified to carry out pilotage duties, in accordance with paragraph 4(1)(c) of the Great Lakes Pilotage Regulations. While executing a starboard course alteration to round buoy D-17 in the vicinity of Pointe aux Foins, the vessel grounded on the north side of the channel. The vessel was refloated four days later after discharging approximately 2000 tonnes of cargo into a barge. There was no pollution, and damage sustained was later determined to be minor. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information The PATERSON is a Home Trade bulk carrier with the wheel-house and accommodations aft. She has four holds served by eighteen hatches. The wheel-house is of conventional layout with the central steering position back-set from a central control position. Engine movements, bow thruster activation, and radio communications can be conducted from the central control position. Approximately two metres to the port side of the central control position is the conning position, with an electronic chart system and daylight radar, side-by-side. The chart table is to starboard and back-set in the same manner as the steering position. The master of the PATERSON possessed a Master, Local Voyage certificate and had been acting in the capacity of master on various vessels since 1981. He had been acting in this capacity on the PATERSON for the past five years. The officer of the watch (OOW) possessed a Master, Intermediate Voyage certificate and had been acting in the capacity of first mate for approximately the past 12 years. He had been deemed acceptable by the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority to have the conduct of an exempted ship since 1986, and had extensive experience piloting in this area. He had worked on board the PATERSON, on and off, for the past five years. On the morning of 05 April 1999, the PATERSON was downbound on Lac Saint-Franois, proceeding at a speed of 11.5 knots. The vessel was loaded with 28 312 tonnes of corn, and bound for Sorel, Quebec. The visibility was good and early twilight offered a weak light. All systems were operating normally and the OOW, who was also performing pilotage duties since leaving Snell lock, was navigating by visual marks in conjunction with an electronic chart system (using a StarlinkDGPS input), radar, and gyro compass. No position fixes were being plotted on the paper chart. Gyro error was minimal, at plus or minus 0.5 degree. A wheelsman was on duty at the central steering position to execute helm orders. At approximately 0503 eastern daylight time,[2] the PATERSON passed calling-in point No. 6 at Pointe Mouille and contacted Seaway Beauharnois on very high frequency (VHF) channel 14. At this time, the controller at Seaway Beauharnois indicated that the vessel JOHN B. AIRD was upbound and also gave information on the state of the seasonal buoy replacement program for that area. Although all VHF communications between vessels and the traffic control are normally recorded, in this instance no recording was available, owing to technical difficulties. By 0516 the PATERSON had settled on a course of 029 gyro (G) and was positioned to the right of the Pointe aux Foins leading lights bearing 029/209 true (T). At this time the OOW on the PATERSON had a conversation with one of the officers on the upbound vessel JOHN B. AIRD, using the VHF radiotelephone. The officer on board the JOHN B. AIRD was an acquaintance and the conversation was short and of a personal nature. The vessels passed port-to-port in the normal fashion approximately 0.6 nautical mile (nm) above buoy D17, each keeping to their starboard side of the channel. The OOW on the PATERSON then prepared for the next course alteration off buoy D17. The standard downbound turning procedure, used successfully by the OOW in the past, was to make the turn in two steps. The first step consisted of a course alteration to starboard when the front leading light of Pointe aux Foins was ahead at a distance of 0.9 nm. At this point the vessel's head would be brought to steer on buoy D12. Once abeam buoy D13, the vessel's head would again be brought to starboard and steadied on a course of 062.5G, with the Pointe Beaudette leading lights astern. The vessel was to the right of the leading lights indicating the centre of the channel due to the port-to-port encounter with the JOHN B. AIRD. Also, the OOW believed that buoy D12 was missing. Due to these two new variables, the OOW decided to modify the standard turning procedure. The modification consisted of delaying the initial course alteration and then making one single alteration to starboard to place the Pointe Beaudette leading lights astern. As the OOW looked forward and off to the right, he noticed a shape that resembled a spar buoy. Initially this caused some confusion, as the OOW believed that the D12 spar buoy was missing. The OOW was undeterred and the focus now shifted to what appeared, on the electronic chart display, to be shoal water in the channel ahead. After a close examination of the electronic chart display, he was satisfied that the perceived shoal water was in fact four 28-foot spot soundings. Shortly after passing abeam buoy D17, the OOW ordered starboard helm and the wheelsman applied 30 starboard helm. As the vessel began the course alteration, the OOW crossed to the port side of the wheel-house to verify the Pointe Beaudette leading lights coming astern. Upon observing that the leading lights were almost in line while the alteration was still in progress, the OOW realized the turn had been made late and ordered full starboard rudder. At approximately 0530, as the ship's head continued to swing to starboard, the vessel grounded in 4.8 m of water on the north side of the channel in position latitude 4512.62 N, longitude 07417.61 W. The vessel came to a stop on a heading of 064G; the next intended course was 062.5T. The OOW put the engines to stop and called the master to the bridge. Upon his arrival on the bridge, the master attempted various engine movements but realized the vessel was firmly aground. At 0545 Seaway Beauharnois was advised of the situation. On 09 April 1999, after transferring approximately 2000 tonnes of cargo into a barge to lighten the vessel, the PATERSON was refloated with the assistance of three tugs. It was later determined that the shell plating had only minor damage and that several web frames in No. 1 port water ballast tank had been locally buckled and split. There was no pollution as a result of the grounding.